Rose’s men left feeling Blue after Ilkeston loss

Profligate Frickley were left to rue a hatful of missed chances for the second game running, as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Ilkeston.

Matt Baker’s 71st-minute header from a corner was enough to settle the game in Ilkeston’s favour.

James Burgess, returning to Karl Rose’s squad alongside Steve Gardner, Sam Denton and Phil Oniama, spurned a great chance to put the Blues in front after just three minutes, but his shot went agonisingly wide of the left hand post.

Two minutes later, Ilkeston had their first sight at goal, but Jason Stokes fired straight at Tom Woodhead.

Gardner had to clear off the line twice in a minute; first, he blocked Laurie Wilson’s glancing header and, as the wind carried the ball back goalwards, he again had to head the ball clear from under the bar.

The Blues looked certain to finally get the reward for their dominance when Matty Bloor flicked the ball over Le Jaun Simmon, before firing in a swerving shot from 20 yards that Lloyd Allinson could only parry.

That left Burgess the formality of slotting the ball into an empty net but somehow Ilkeston keeper Allinson recovered to push away the follow up from Burgess, before Denton fired over the bar.

Three minutes later, Frickley’s misery was compounded when Jason Stokes sent over a corner and Baker rose highest to nod the ball past Woodhead.